Division Chief Message
Welcome to the Division of Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders.
Our division is committed to providing the highest level of care to patients with a broad range of endocrine conditions and disorders.
Within our division, we have Strelitz Diabetes Center, a diabetes program recognized by the American Diabetes Association. All aspects of diabetes including patient care, patient education, and training of students, residents, and fellows, as well as clinical research activities, are housed within the Strelitz Diabetes Center.
Our division is very active in supporting and fulfilling all the missions of our medical school. Here are some of the key areas of our activities:
Patient Care & Clinical Programs: Our faculty members have special expertise in the diagnosis and management of all endocrine & metabolic conditions including diabetes, obesity, thyroid disease, osteoporosis, calcium disorders, pituitary dysfunction, and adrenal disorders, as well as male and female hormonal conditions.
We also treat difficult-to-manage disorders of lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides). Our faculty performs procedures including thyroid ultrasound, thyroid biopsy (fine needle aspiration), and bone density measurement (DEXA scan). They also manage diabetes technology including insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices.
Education & Training Programs: Our division has a highly competitive Endocrinology Fellowship program. In addition, our fellows get exposure and training at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, the VA Medical Center in Hampton, Va., and the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk. Our division also provides all endocrine-related teaching to medical students and internal medicine residents.
The medical students and Internal Medicine residents also come to rotate with us as part of their educational and training schedules. Our division also prepares a very successful annual diabetes update program (Turning the Tide on Diabetes) geared towards primary care physicians not only in the Hampton Roads region but throughout Virginia and in North Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Research Programs: We have been at the forefront of diabetes research for decades. Some key areas of research and clinical trials include diabetic neuropathy, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, as well as newer treatment strategies for diabetes. Over the years, our researchers have helped develop innovative approaches for diagnosing and treating diabetes and its complications. The Strelitz Diabetes Center has a highly developed team and research infrastructure for diabetes research. Our researchers also collaborate with basic and translational researchers as well as other institutions across the country.
Community Programs: Our division has been actively involved in helping underserved communities in Hampton Roads. A key area for many years has been our presence in the Western Tidewater region. Over the years, we participated in providing diabetes-related patient care, free screenings, and patient and community education.
We are in the process of launching a community-based research program focused on better understanding diabetes in the community as well as improving outcomes by introducing educational intervention as well as access to better care.
I encourage you to explore our website to learn more about us.
Elias S. Siraj, MD, Dr. Med., FACP, FACE
David L. Bernd Distinguished Chair for Sentara Cardiovascular Diabetes Program
Professor of Medicine
Chief, Division of Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
Director, Strelitz Diabetes Center
Associate Dean for Clinical Research
Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University